A Hearty Winter's Meal. . .

Hello my friends,
have you ever heard of 'holuska'?
 
Unless you come from a Hungarian/Czecholavakian heritage the chances are pretty slim.  :)
 
Growing up my mom made holuska quite regularly.  (We're not even sure how you spell it)  It was an inexpensive dish that our dad had taught her.  He learned it from his parents.
 
It may not look delicious, but trust me. . .if you love cabbage, dumplings, and butter; you will love this!  Yes, butter, lots and lots of butter!!
 
 
First you peel potatoes and cut them into small pieces.  Put them in a blender and add a bit of water.  Just enough that the blender will chop them up.  I continue adding until I have a blender full.  That will make a lot of dumplings.
 
 
Soon they will look like this.

 
Then you take that potato mush and add flour.

 
Now you will have a potato paste.  lol!
Next you drop spoonfuls of potato paste into hot boiling water. Try not to let it stop boiling.
Now this is where it gets funny.  In my mind I always remembered  mom saying that they should not be any larger than the tip of your big finger.  None of my sisters remember this.  I think I must have dreamed it.  (wink)  Believe me from now on, I am making them bigger.  It took me forever to cook them all!
 
 
 At this point I am already dreaming of that buttery potato goodness!


 You continue cooking them until they float to the top and turn white.  Under cooked dumplings are not good!!
Mom use to take one out of the water and cut into it to see if it was cooked through.  Mine were so small that I didn't have to worry.


After you cook a batch put them in a strainer and rinse off all that extra starch.  Yes, I'm saving you a few calories so that you can add more butter.  ha, ha!

 
Fry up a head of cabbage and you're good to go.
 
 

Stir the two together, heat through and season with S&P, and (in unison say) lots of BUTTER.
 
YUM!
 

 
We had our Ohio relatives here for a reunion last July.  None of them had heard of holuska.  They did remember grandpa making some kind of potato/cabbage dish.
Our dad was the oldest surviving son, and maybe that's why he knew how to make it.
 
And a humorous fact about holuska is that you don't want to feed it to a basketball player just before a game.  Our brother, Dennis played basketball on the high school team.  He'd tell mom, "please don't make holuska before a game, because I can't jump after eating it".  Stories like this make this dish even more wonderful!
 
Do you have any heirloom recipes passed down from older generations?
 
hugs,
Jann
 
 

14 comments

Susie said...

Jann, Sounds like an odd combination...but I bet it is tasty. My parents sued to cook up things from their childhood that was good food for us...and as you said filling meals on a budget. Blessings, stay warm there. We are so cold here. 11 degrees here at 3:30 p.m. xoxo, Susie

Jeanie said...

Don't you love cooking in winter? The warmth from the stove or oven, all the flavors and fragrances staying right in the house because the windows aren't open? Looks so cozy in your kitchen. Greetings from the frozen north!

Debbie - Mountain Mama said...

This looks super yummy!! Decadent.....and I love BUTTER so yummmmm!!

Debbie-Dabble Blog and A Debbie-Dabble Christmas said...

Jann!!
Yes, I have heard of this!!
But the Polish version is called Haluski and is Cabbage and noodles and my Mom always used Bow tie noodles.
Now the dumplings or "Drop Noodles" that my Mom used to make for soup wee called Kluski!!
Thanks for bringing back some great memories!!
Mugs,
Debbie

Carole @ From My Carolina Home said...

You made gnocchi! Usually I add an egg to the dough. Haven't had them with cabbage, but I'll bet it is rib-sticking good!

Mary@mydogsmygardenandmary said...

Happy New Year Jann. This dish really sounds good and I like cabbage. So I will have to try it.

Yes, I do have some recipes from my family - Southern food and so good.

Hugs,
Mary

NanaDiana said...

That is very similar to the Polish dish from my husband's family- with the potato dumplings and cabbage and LOTS of butter and salt and pepper...and they are cooked in boiling water with a ham bone in it-then drained and rinsed. My hubby loved it but hasn't had it in years. (no thanks to me)...lol
Enjoy! xo Diana

Mary said...

Interesting. Anything with butter is usually good. I know I would probably love it. I am bookmarking it for a later time. Thanks.

Liz@ HomeandGardeningWithLiz said...

I love the recipes handed down like this. My husband's mother always made what she calle glumpkies (not sure how to spell it) that uses cabbage. I never made much of an attempt to make them but I should since my hubby would love it!

AnnMarie aka Vintage Junkie aka NaNa said...

I can't say I have ever heard of it. At first I thought that was sausage in there from the picture. It actually sounds pretty good. I love the story behind them too. I make Cucidatas every Christmas, which are my grandmothers recipe for Italian fig cookies. They are so good but time consuming and expensive to make. I only give them to the most deserving people....meaning you have to love them or you don't get any!

Kim said...

I must say I love the name "Holuska"!! So much more exotic than a potato/cabbage dish. =) I will have to remember when I next play basketball not to eat it!!

Magali@TheLittleWhiteHouse said...

The recipe does look very Eastern Europe, which is something I love! I can't have butter, but I'm pretty sure lots and lots of oil could work as well!

kitty@ Kitty's Kozy Kitchen said...

I have never had this dish, Jann, but it sounds like pure comfort food to me. Thank you for showing us how to make it.
Also, your wintry tea was just so darling with your cute teapot and mugs, in my favorite color, I might add. Wish I could share a scone with you!

Daniela said...

Dearest Jann
it's all so inviting and yummy !!!

Wishing you the best of weekends,
I'm sending my dearest love to you,
with utmost gratitude

Xx Dany

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